Educating children about the hazards of building sites

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ePolitix.com speaks to Sonia Allen, marketing manager at the National Federation of Builders (NFB) about the organisation being presented with a corporate social responsibility award for its 'Stay Safe, Stay Away' national safety campaign.

What is the 'Stay Safe, Stay Away' campaign and who is it aimed at?

The 'Stay Safe, Stay Away' campaign is a popular national safety poster competition where children (key stage 1 – 2) are invited to take part and design a poster that warns of the danger of building sites and how to keep themselves and others safe and avoid unnecessary serious injuries.

Do you get a lot of feedback from the children during the campaign?

We do get quite a lot of feedback from them in terms of the actual competition itself and how much they enjoy doing it. Part of the competition is that they have to incorporate Norman – our safety mascot. So that engages them a lot more than if it was just a straightforward poster. We get quite a lot of feedback that they enjoy it.

This year's winning poster was designed by Dean Turner (11) from Newquay Junior School, and is now on display on hundreds of construction sites across the country, helping raise awareness of the dangers posed.

What year is the campaign now in, and is it something the NFB is taking forward?

The 'Stay Safe, Stay Away' campaign is now in its seventh year and continues to go from strength to strength. The NFB believes that raising awareness and educating schoolchildren about the hazards on building sites and how to stay safe, is a positive step to reducing the numbers who end up in hospital every year. Our members work hard to ensure that they operate responsibly, so the campaign is something that the NFB will most definitely be taking forward into 2011 and beyond.

The campaign was just awarded a Corporate Social Responsibility 2010 Award by the Public Relations Consultants' Association: why do you think the campaign struck a chord with the judges?

We are honoured to have been awarded the in-house Corporate Social Responsibility Award at the Public Relations Consultants' Association annual awards ceremony. We feel that the campaign struck a chord with the judges as it engaged with NFB members, key industry bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Child Action Prevention Trust (CAPT), as well as the very children we are trying to protect.

Commenting on our success, Richard Ellis, PRCA communications director, said: "The National Federation of Builders has done a fantastic job of engaging its members, the HSE and, most importantly, the very children it is trying to protect. Not only did the NFB help children explore and better understand the risks of building sites, it also helped them understand that they are responsible for their own safety. It is the deserved winner of this prestigious award."

Why do you think it is so important for an organisation like the NFB, and a campaign like this, to win such an award?

We feel it is important, as it not only demonstrates the NFB's commitment, but the commitment of our members to operate responsibly. It also educates children about the dangers associated with building sites, and ultimately helps in preventing unnecessary injuries.

Have you received any positive feedback from parliamentarians regarding the campaign?

The minister for business and enterprise, Mark Prisk, lent his support and encouragement to the campaign, saying:

"Children see building sites as potential playgrounds and so cannot see the risks involved. Educating children about the hazards on a building site is a constant challenge for both government and industry. I welcome the NFB's latest campaign to get children involved in its 'Stay Safe, Stay Away' initiative".

Dean Turner, the national winner, along with the national runners-up and regional runners-up from the South West, enjoyed a trip to Westminster to meet minister for employment, with responsibility for health and safety, Chris Grayling, as part of the 'Stay Safe, Stay Away' campaign.